As some of the Americans on the board may have heard, Canada's in the middle of a federal election. One of the two national leadership debates was scheduled for Thursday. Now two of the party leaders have come out demanding that the debate be re-scheduled. Why?

The first thing I come away with from reading this is they're really not that efficient with tax payers dollars, are they? They allow their emergency services to get clogged up by frivilous calls and get their politicians and law enforcement involved in hockey matters. Anyone know the tax rate in Quebec? (just curious)

Well I can kind of see rescheduling the French language debate. There are fancophone commnities scattered acoss Canada (Acadia, St. Boniface) but they're mainly in Quebec, and simply put if the debate and the game are on at the same time, well no one in Quebec will watch the debate. It aso screws up the CBC/Radio-Canada (owned by the government) because they're required by law to carry the debate, but hey also have the broadcast rights for the game.

Red - I saw this earlier and almost posted it but I'm glad you did. The first thing I come away with from reading this is they're really not that efficient with tax payers dollars, are they? They allow their emergency services to get clogged up by frivilous calls and get their politicians and law enforcement involved in hockey matters. Anyone know the tax rate in Quebec? (just curious)Posted by gardenbees

I suppose if other country's would up there taxes a bit sick people would not be turned away from hospitals (over money).These are things a lot of Canadians thought only could happen in a third world country.

In Response to Re: Only in Canada... : Peaceful country's do not need to go overboard on military spending.Posted by pauly1

Yea especially when we have a neighboring country that is a super power & without them we'd be blown off the map! Stop being such a Canadian tool! Some of us love our neighbors & are thankful they're there! So just shut-up & stick to the topic!

Back on topic, they have officially rescheduled the debate now. They moved it up to Wednesday. From the CBC:

Politics and hockey went head to head Sunday and, in the end, the nation's winter pastime held the bigger stick.

The parties and the broadcast consortium producing this week's televised leaders debates have agreed to move the French-language debate — originally scheduled for Thursday — up a day after a conflict arose with the NHL playoffs.

The French debate is now set for Wednesday, April 13, at 7 p.m. ET, with the English-language debate set for Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.

Wednesday was supposed to be a day off.

That all changed with the Montreal Canadiens' defeat of the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night and the finalizing of the NHL's Eastern conference play-off schedule.

A decades-old rivalry — at the same time the federal leaders were scheduled to hold their French-language debate.

Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe said Sunday morning there was no point in the politicians trying to compete with that.

"I want Quebecers to have the same opportunity to listen to that debate that Canadians will have," Duceppe said.

"We all know hockey is very popular in Canada, and also in Quebec, and I think it would be a better choice to have that debate on Wednesday, so that people who like hockey and (will) have the full opportunity to see the debate and then listen to the hockey game on Thursday night," Duceppe said.

"I think ratings are important," Duceppe continued, "but democracy is more important than ratings."

The debates are produced and carried by a broadcasters consortium made up of the CBC, CTV, Global and TVA in Quebec.

The Bloc sent a letter to the consortium Sunday formally asking for the French debate to be moved up a day to Wednesday, saying the programming conflict is "heartbreaking" for many Quebecers.

Duceppe called on the other party leaders to present a united front to put pressure on the broadcast consortium to make the change — and the other parties weren't about to disagree.

NDP Leader Jack Layton said he suspected a "very large number of people" would choose to watch the game between Montreal and Boston.

”Were I not in this election, I might well make the same decision,” he joked.

Dimitri Soudas, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's spokesperson, echoed Layton's comment in a post on Twitter Sunday: "These decisions lie with the television networks. We'll be there on the days they choose."

Martin Cauchon, the Liberal candidate in the Montreal riding of Outremont, told reporters the Liberals strongly support the debate being moved.

"This is important — and we should make sure as many people as possible watch" the debates, Cauchon said.

The two-hour debates will be divided into six segments. Each segment will start with a question from a Canadian voter, leading to a six-minute one-on-one debate between two leaders, before concluding with an open debate on the same topic.

This isn't the first time this has happened. I believe something similar happened in the 80's as well. It really is somewhat sad when a sport monopolizes over everything else that should be more important, but I am proud to be Canadian.

In Response to Re: Only in Canada... : Not to drag this out too much but I hopeyou weren't counting Canada as one of those "Peaceful countries" considering that we're involved in two different wars right now. And NAS, a third road to peace... good diplomacy. Make lots and lots of friends so no one would want to screw with you in the first place.Posted by red75

Involved as peace keepers. Canada is one of the world powers in oil and gas we don't need to be there.

Peacekeepers in Afghanistan? Really? What peace are we keeping? What peace was my friend keeping when she was cut in half by an IED? Man, it's election time - Maybe it would be a good idea to educate yourself as to what our country is up to right now.

This is why it's not a good idea to have the game at the same time as the debate - because Canadians need to watch the debate in order to learn about their own current affairs. I'm glad they rescheduled it.

In Response to Re: Only in Canada... : Yea especially when we have a neighboring country that is a super power & without them we'd be blown off the map! Stop being such a Canadian tool! Some of us love our neighbors & are thankful they're there! So just shut-up & stick to the topic!Posted by nitemare-38

Holidaying in the USA twice this year. I love the country, the people are friendly, it's a great place to go.It sure is nice to have a big brother with that much power. I'm quite sure most of the world would come to canadas defence if need be.

Bruins sure looked flat today. as most expected

hey nitemare go f..k yourself. I love the USA...... just not as much as I love canada

Peacekeepers in Afghanistan? Really? What peace are we keeping? What peace was my friend keeping when she was cut in half by an IED? Man, it's election time - Maybe it would be a good idea to educate yourself as to what our country is up to right now. This is why it's not a good idea to have the game at the same time as the debate - because Canadians need to watch the debate in order to learn about their own current affairs. I'm glad they rescheduled it.Posted by red75

My son is over there, and still alive (I hope). So my education comes from some one who knows.